Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 298 - 296. The nature of ginger and cinnamon, the older they get, the spicier they become.
Outside an unassuming mansion to the west of Biancheng City, a robust man in military attire knocked on the tightly shut doorway. Soon enough, someone from inside came to answer the door. A boy who appeared to be a servant peeked his head out, and on seeing the man at the entrance, he blinked in surprise and asked, "Excuse me... whom is the general looking for?"
Lei Tengfeng saluted with a smile. "I am Lei Tengfeng, here to pay a visit to General Jingtian. I hope the general might grant me an audience."
To his surprise, the servant’s face darkened. "What General Jingtian? We have no such person in our residence. You must have made a mistake, General!" He didn’t wait to see Lei Tengfeng’s reaction and slammed the door shut in front of the visitor. Staring at the heavy door that had just been slammed shut before him, Lei Tengfeng nervously scratched his nose and gave a wry smile. His father and several veteran generals harbored deep resentment against each other. It wasn’t that his father, a renowned general in his own right, needed the three generals’ abilities; rather, the three generals had obstructed his father’s influence in court, which was how they had been deeply offended. Zhu Yan simply chose to refuse visitors instead of directly setting the dogs on him. Lei Tengfeng could only count himself fortunate.
Lei Tengfeng might tolerate such behavior, but the generals and attendants following him could not. They were all cultivated and promoted by the Southern Garrison Prince. Their loyalty to the Southern Garrison Prince’s Mansion surpassed their duty to the Xiling court. They had undoubtedly heard of the reputation of the three renowned generals, but these three were all old men with one foot in the grave. Moreover, irrespective of their brilliant battle achievements, hadn’t they already been defeated by their Prince? How haughty!
"Heir, shall we break open the door?" asked the general behind Lei Tengfeng.
Lei Tengfeng gestured for him to stop. "Everyone, step back. We must not be rude!"
After waiting a bit longer outside the door to no avail, Lei Tengfeng pondered for a moment, then drew upon his internal energy, amplifying his voice as he called out, "I, Lei Tengfeng of the Southern Garrison Prince’s Mansion, seek an audience with the venerable General Zhu!"
Inside Zhu’s mansion, two elderly men sat in the main hall, locked in a match of wits over a chessboard. Lei Tengfeng’s voice, fueled by his internal energy, permeated their ears without any hindrance. One, an old man clad in a dark blue robe adorned with characters for ’good fortune’, stroked his beard with a smiling face. Contrary to being a battle-hardened general, he bore the appearance of a benevolent, sage-like old man. "Lei Zhenting has been arrogant throughout his life. His son... appears to fall short."
The other old man, thin in stature with profound eyes, was dressed in a simple white coarse-cloth garment. Except for his piercing eyes, he seemed more like an ordinary old man from the mountains. "They say a mighty father will not have a worthless son, but if the father is too formidable, it’s hard for the son not to be overshadowed by his brilliance. How many can there be like the one from Prince Ding’s Mansion? Furthermore, if Mo Liufang and Mo Xiuwen hadn’t both passed away within a few short years, causing Prince Ding’s Mansion to suffer a significant blow, Mo Xiuyao might not possess his current sharpness; he might have remained merely a renowned general. Now, Prince Ding’s charisma and reputation have surpassed his father and elder brother, and even all his ancestors since Mo Lanyun."
The man in the blue robe sighed. "That’s accurate. Good swords are forged from repeated sharpening; fragrant plum blossoms emerge from severe cold. Lei Zhenting’s son, in the end, has barely been tempered."
The man in white chuckled. "This boy...compared to Lei Zhenting, he seems to have more tolerance." These past few decades, it was not only Great Chu and the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion that had suffered. After Emperor Xuanwen’s death and Lei Zhenting took power, he also aggressively eliminated dissidents, killing or exiling a large number of renowned ministers and generals. If Emperor Xuanwen had lived another twenty years, the current situation in Xiling would have been entirely different. Unfortunately, Emperor Xuanwen, despite his glory, appointed an inherently weak son as Emperor. More importantly, he also left behind another son, Lei Zhenting, who outshone the new Emperor—his own brother—in all aspects. How could Xiling not be in chaos?
"Tolerance?" The man in the blue robe placed a chess piece down and casually remarked, "At this point, we can only consider him aware of the times. Given his limited experience on the battlefield, it is a delusion to believe he could obstruct Mo Xiuyao."
Upon saying this, both men fell silent. They had been away from the battlefield for over twenty years, and they were old. It wasn’t just about Lei Tengfeng; even they were uncertain of their ability to halt the Mo Family Army’s advance.
"Not only did Mo Liufang have a good son, but he also has a fine daughter-in-law. I heard that Princess Consort Ding has also joined this expedition?" the man in the blue robe commented jocularly. Neither of the veteran generals would dare underestimate the woman who had once defeated Lei Zhenting. A woman who, even when at a numerical disadvantage, managed to defeat and essentially annihilate the enemy, was certainly not someone to be looked down upon.
"Maybe, this time we might be fortunate enough to meet this courageous lady."
"General Zhu! Biancheng City is in imminent danger! I beg you, for the sake of Xiling’s safety, let go of your prejudice and grant me an audience!" Lei Tengfeng’s voice rose again from outside.
Upon hearing this, the man in blue, General Jingtian Zhu Yan, laughed. "This lad indeed has patience."
Long Yang also chuckled. "He probably won’t leave unless you see him. Moreover...can we truly stay indifferent even if Biancheng City falls?"
"Fine then. Let him in."
Lei Tengfeng left his people outside and entered Zhu Manor alone, following the servant boy. He trusted that even though Zhu Yan harbored deep ill feelings towards his father, he wouldn’t harm him at this point. Moreover, entering alone was a way of showing his sincerity to the old general.
Upon stepping into the hall, he saw two white-haired old men seated, sipping tea. Lei Tengfeng was taken aback. He was about ten when the three generals were stripped of their military power. Members of the imperial family were known for their precociousness, and thus he had some impressions of these generals.
"Junior Lei Tengfeng greets General Zhu, General Long," he said.
Long Yang looked at him with an ambiguous smile. "We dare not accept such an appellation. Heir of the Southern Garrison Prince and Commandery Prince Rui, we are but common folk from the countryside, unworthy of being addressed so formally by the Heir and General." Lei Tengfeng gave a wry smile, looking up at Long Yang with sincerity.
"As a junior, I, Tengfeng, dare not speak much on past grievances. But now, with the Mo Family Army invading and besieging Biancheng City, and Xiling in imminent danger, I beg the two generals to assist me for the sake of His Late Majesty, my Imperial Grandfather," he said earnestly.
"For His Late Majesty’s sake?" Long Yang sneered. "When Lei Zhenting was rooting out his opponents, why didn’t he consider His Late Majesty’s sake? Feng Ao is still unaccounted for. Didn’t Lei Zhenting ever consider that these men were the pillars of Xiling and servants of the late Emperor?"
Lei Tengfeng was at a loss for words, unable to counter Long Yang’s questions. Even though Lei Tengfeng might not fully agree with his father’s actions, he had to admit that the drastic measures taken were absolutely necessary for the development of the Southern Garrison Prince’s Mansion. Without eliminating those subjects loyal to the late emperor and current imperial uncle, the Southern Garrison Prince’s Mansion wouldn’t have achieved its present power. However, in the eyes of these old ministers, his father’s actions were no different from those causing disorder and disaster in the country. The only consolation was that Xiling remained strong under his father’s rule; otherwise, these old ministers would have revolted without waiting for the Mo Family Army to attack.
With a resigned, bitter smile, he pleaded, "The crisis in Biancheng City is imminent. I implore the two old generals to lend their aid."
Zhu Yan remained silent, and Long Yang just snorted coldly. However, Lei Tengfeng understood this as their tacit agreement, and he couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.
The next day, the Mo Family Army’s siege was met with much more resistance, unlike the smooth progress of previous days. The Xiling soldiers defending the city seemed to have regained their senses. Faced with the menacing Mo Family Army, they no longer displayed their initial panic and fear. The defense on the city walls was strict, making Biancheng City impregnable like an iron barrel. The attack lasted a whole morning, yet the city’s defense showed no signs of faltering. This undoubtedly made the Mo Family Army generals, who had been advancing smoothly, feel agitated. To make matters worse, neither their Prince nor Princess Consort appeared at the front lines. It wasn’t until nearly afternoon, having made no headway, that the Mo Family Army finally sounded the retreat.
Inside the large tent, Mo Xiuyao was in a good mood looking at the dispirited generals below, showing no signs of displeasure or anger due to the unfavorable developments in the war. "My generals, how do you feel? Was the battle enjoyable today?" he asked.
A few young generals blushed, as they were the ones ranting most fiercely the day before. Mo Xiuyao smiled faintly and said, "Don’t be ashamed; I’m not blaming you. If you young men, who have not fought many battles, could capture Biancheng City effortlessly, the renowned generals Zhu Yan and Long Yang would have lost face. Even though they are old now, remember the saying, ’Old ginger is spicier.’"
The young generals exchanged glances before one stepped forward to report, "Your Highness, Biancheng City is entirely different from the previous cities we attacked. Not only are the city walls sturdy and difficult to breach, but the defending soldiers are also unlike those we encountered before. The defenders of Biancheng City are clearly braver and calmer. We underestimated our enemies, only now realizing the true combat strength of Xiling’s forces."
Mo Xiuyao nodded in satisfaction. "As long as you understand. Don’t worry... I’ll give you three days. Can you open the city gates of Biancheng City within that time?"
The young generals hesitated. They were young leaders nurtured by the Mo Family Army. Although they lacked battle experience, once they put aside their prior arrogance, they could see their own position and ability clearly. Hence, they were pleased with the trust the Prince placed in them, but they were unsure whether they could guarantee the capture of Biancheng City within three days.
Mo Xiuyao raised an eyebrow. "What? Yesterday, you boasted you could level Biancheng City. Yet, today you let one battle scare you?"
"No! We can do it!" The young generals blushed and shouted back.
"We accept the command!"
Mo Xiuyao leaned back in his chair and nodded, smiling. "Good, in three days... I want to see the gates of Biancheng City open. Also... leave the besieging to you. General Lv and the others have pressing matters... they’re already not in the camp." The generals looked dumbfounded when they realized that the older, more experienced generals were already gone. The ones left were all youths under thirty years old. What were they to do? They couldn’t even find someone to consult.
Only when these restless young soldiers had left did Ye Li, who was sitting to the side reading a book, raise her head to ask, "Are these young fellows reliable?"
Zhuo Jing and Qin Feng, who were standing not far away, exchanged a glance and couldn’t help but smile to themselves. Every time the Princess Consort spoke about these young soldiers, it was exceptionally humorous. Admittedly, these youthful commanders could always be referred to as young soldiers under any circumstance, but even so, most of them here were a couple of years older than the Princess Consort herself. Particularly, the Princess Consort looked even younger than her real age, and it was always unusually odd for a woman in her twenties to call a group of men in their twenties ’youngsters.’
Mo Xiuyao said lazily, "Even famous blades must go through a thousand trials before they become sharp. These lads are still too inexperienced; a bit of a setback isn’t a bad thing."
"Won’t this setback be too much?" Not to mention these young men, both Ye Li and Mo Xiuyao were also analyzing the defenses of Biancheng City. Even Mo Xiuyao himself could not say that a head-on assault could open the city gates of Biancheng City. After all, such a war of attrition was not suitable for them, whose military strength was limited deep in Xiling territory.
Mo Xiuyao seemed indifferent. "Ah... once they can withstand this blow, most future blows will be bearable for them." The pressure from these two famous generals of Xiling would indeed test their limit, and it would also allow him to see whether those two had truly grown old.
Thus, the Mo Family Army, commanded by several young men, began to attack Biancheng City every day. However, there was no hint of a breach in the city’s impregnable defense. As time went on, the city’s guards simply ignored the provocations from below. As long as they did not attack the city gate or climb the city wall, the guards on top would proceed with their tasks most of the time. Faced with such a situation, the young soldiers clearly felt a sense of disdain from the enemy. The opponent was not afraid of them but merely disdained to acknowledge them. This was unbearable for the young, hot-blooded commanders, who then took turns cursing under the city gate. They even cursed Long Yang and Zhu Yan’s ancestors for eight generations, making Mo Xiuyao, who was watching them from the rear, laugh until his sides ached.
At the same time, inside Biancheng City, the two elderly generals were also amused. "Haha... These young lads are interesting. I like them!"
They enjoyed it, while others certainly could not. Even Lei Tengfeng anxiously exclaimed, "Generals Long and Zhu, are we just going to let them insult us like this without doing anything?" Long Yang casually replied, "Insults don’t take away a piece of flesh or waste your saliva. Why are you in such a rush?"
Those youngsters’ insults are truly vile! the officers present lamented inwardly.
"If we let them continue their arrogance, won’t it be harmful to the morale of our troops?" Lei Tengfeng asked with a frown. Zhu Yan sneered, "If a few insults can damage morale, why fight a war at all? Besides, if they curse you, can’t you curse them back?"
The crowd was taken aback. We’re here to fight a war, not a shouting match! they thought.
Shaking his head, Long Yang sighed. "What do you think of the combat power of the Mo Family Army?"
Lei Tengfeng frowned, somewhat puzzled. "The Mo Family Army is indeed brave, but...it’s not as impressive as the legends suggest. Also, the capability of the commanders seems fine, but not particularly exceptional. Could it be...they’re hiding their true strength to lull us into complacency?" Long Yang said, "These past few days, the attacks on the city have been led by young soldiers not even thirty years old. What is the Chief General of the Mo Family Army doing? Hiding in the tent sleeping?"
Hearing Long Yang’s words, Lei Tengfeng felt very uneasy. Indeed, he had noticed that the people leading the assault in the past few days were all unfamiliar young faces. Not just Mo Xiuyao, but even well-known figures like Lv Jinxian and Feng Zhiyao hadn’t shown their faces. "What are they up to? General, please advise."
Long Yang and Zhu Yan sighed. "Send someone to find out as soon as possible whether Mo Xiuyao, Lv Jinxian, and the others are still in the Mo Family Army’s main camp! Mo Xiuyao definitely didn’t have time for a protracted confrontation with them. Even if the Mo Family Army had been repeatedly victorious along the way, this was still Xiling’s territory. If the fighting dragged on too long, let alone relief troops led by Lei Zhenting, reinforcements from other places would gradually arrive. By then, the Mo Family Army would be surrounded by the one million-strong Xiling Army."
Therefore, the Mo Family Army absolutely couldn’t afford to delay. As for other shortcuts, they were also impossible. Ignoring anyone else, Zhu Yan had been living in Biancheng City for over twenty years, and no one knew the surroundings of the city better than him. With vast plains surrounding Biancheng City and a moat encompassing it, there was absolutely no other way but a frontal assault. Bypassing Biancheng City was even more impossible. Biancheng City was situated on a critical east-west route. If Biancheng City was not taken, the Mo Family Army’s military supplies could be cut off at any time, even if they bypassed the city.
Lei Tengfeng’s heart shuddered and he hurriedly replied, "Yes, Junior will have someone check right away."
Waving his hand to let everyone retreat, Zhu Yan sighed wearily. "I’m old, so old..." Long Yang looked at him and laughed. "How do you find Mo Xiuyao compared to Mo Liufang?" Zhu Yan shook his head. "Hard to say, but at least Mo Xiuyao is better at concealing his intentions than his father. Back then, I could guess at least half of Mo Liufang’s thoughts, but now...I really can’t figure out what Mo Xiuyao wants to do. Truly, I have no choice but to acknowledge my age." While speaking these words, his tone carried a hint of desolation. Isn’t it the most sorrowful thing in the world for a general to grow old, for beauty to fade?
Hearing this, Long Yang also couldn’t help feeling sad. If it were the youthful Long Yang from the past, he would never just sit here engaging in idle talk. The ’Grim Reaper of the Western Region,’ as he was known, always favored offensive operations and wasn’t used to passive defense. But now, could they still mount a horse for battle?
"Old Long, can we... hold onto Biancheng City?" He gazed at the city below, watching the distant horizon through the city’s crenels. Far away, a dense, dark sea of banners fluttered, exuding a menacing aura. The young men shouting challenges at the city gate exuded a youthful energy and spirit they themselves no longer possessed. If they were not enemies, he couldn’t help but admire such an elite force. For the first time in his life, Zhu Yan asked uncertainly.
Long Yang replied with a light smile, "We live to serve loyally and die fulfilling our destiny. We will do all we can. Zhu Yan, it’s the first time I’ve heard such a lack of confidence from you."
Zhu Yan shook his head and sighed ruefully. "Perhaps I’ve been away from the battlefield for too long. Well... to contend with the descendants of Prince Ding’s Mansion once more in my lifetime—that would be a comfort for a lifetime."
"Don’t be so pessimistic. Don’t think I don’t know you still have a secret force of elite soldiers. Even if we can’t hold Biancheng City, those men are enough to give the Mo Family Army a run for their money," Long Yang glanced at him and said dismissively. After Zhu Yan was stripped of his military command, he didn’t retreat to the mountains like Long Yang, nor did he vanish like Feng Ao. Instead, he chose to settle in a bustling place like Biancheng City, even at the risk of being monitored by the Southern Garrison Prince’s Mansion. This was because he still commanded a secret force of elite soldiers that no one else knew about. Even the Southern Garrison Prince was unaware of them. However, Long Yang, who had been as close to Emperor Xuanwen as Zhu Yan, knew. He had been present when Emperor Xuanwen assigned this elite force to Zhu Yan. The primary responsibility of this force was to guard against Prince Ding’s Mansion. Except for his inability to choose a worthy successor, the late Emperor’s profound foresight was admirable in every other aspect.
Zhu Yan was taken aback, and his grizzled eyebrows knitted into a frown. Suddenly, he spoke in a deep voice, "Damn it!"
"What happened?" asked Long Yang, puzzled.
Zhu Yan replied, "Prince Ding’s Mansion must already know about the existence of that elite force!"
"How could that be?" Long Yang’s face fell. This elite force was Xiling’s deepest secret. Even the Southern Garrison Prince, who kept Zhu Yan under constant surveillance, didn’t know about them. How could Prince Ding’s Mansion have found out? Zhu Yan closed his eyes and said, "The Mo Family Army’s assault on Xiling is no coincidence. I’m afraid Mo Xiuyao has been planning this for a long time. If he’s been scheming all along, why wouldn’t he send people to secretly investigate?"
"You mean..."
"Six years ago, you and I both thought Prince Ding would attack Xiling, but in the end, nothing happened."
Long Yang’s complexion changed. "You’re saying Mo Xiuyao has been scheming to take Xiling since then? He stopped only because he wasn’t ready?"
Zhu Yan nodded and sighed. "Now, he is ready. Even Lei Tengfeng didn’t know you were in Biancheng City before he arrived, but you surely heard it just now? Those young men berated you as well. It’s clear they knew you were in Biancheng City a long time ago."
Long Yang’s wrinkled face grew even paler. "Mo Xiuyao never intended to attack Biancheng City right now. He has us surrounded with the aim of wiping out your elite force first!"
"Obviously, that’s the case."
"Then now..."
Zhu Yan shook his head. "Now, neither of us can leave. We can only leave it up to fate."
The room fell silent for a moment until Long Yang abruptly slammed his hand on the table, exclaiming angrily, "Leave it up to fate, my ass! If I had left it up to fate in all my years of campaigning, I would have been long dead, not even my bones would remain! Does Mo Xiuyao think he can besiege us? I’d like to see if those lads can really hold us off! I refuse to believe... he thinks he can treat his 400,000 troops like a million strong!" No matter how elite the Mo Family Army might be, they only had 400,000 soldiers, while Biancheng City now held 500,000 troops, along with more than a hundred thousand secret elite forces, outnumbering the Mo Family Army by far. If they were still besieged and killed in Biancheng City under these circumstances, they might as well slit their own throats; it would be cleaner!
A spark flashed in Zhu Yan’s eyes. "You’re right! Men, summon the Heir of the Southern Garrison Prince!"
